Apparently, Celebrity has chosen to cancell their Bridge program

[SusieV]

Ladysail- I might know your BIL, then! I just pulled up the roster for the Yokohama team and I know a few of the players on it.

 

It's cool no matter when it was :)

 

Edit: Just saw your location in Ottawa. I have some bridge friends out there and I've played at your regional in the past!

[chumley]

This is so disappointing! On our Summit cruise in 12/06 to Hawaii, we had a large duplicate game going all 10 sea days. It was fabulous and standing room only, with at least 9-10 tables each session. Yes, you do get MPs if a director is running the game and my son and I had a blast and won several points in the process. My son is only 14 but loves the game and this was a great way to play duplicate with him. I would understand Celebrity's pov if the bridge wasn't well attended, but that was hardly the case. :confused:

 

Leslie

[CAKER]

While at the Wharton School (Univ. of PA, not Penn State), I played duplicate a couple times a week. Then I used to play at a Bridge Club near my home. My greatest memory, retrospectively, was that several years after that, one of the partners I had when he filled in that game was Bobby Goldman, who later became a member of the Dallas Aces, one of the elite Bridge Teams in the world. I was never in his class, but it was really great to have known and played with him.

 

After 43 years of marriage, my wife took up bridge about a year ago, and really loves it. She has taken lessons and played twice a week for several months now, and the first thing she reads every morning is the bridge hand in the newspaper.

 

We are on the 10/17 Millennium Venice to Barcelona, cabin 9131. If you are on that cruise, and are interested, e-mail me at jlzalles@msn.com

 

David Zalles (and Judy)

[CAKER]

(erased duplicate)

[Longboysfan]

Hmmmmm. Each ship has a card room. I wonder what revenue-generating activity is going to replace bridge and utilize those dedicated rooms?

 

Seems as though a letter writing campaign is in order --- and quickly!

 

They still have the dailies show the time and place to meet for Bridge.

You just have to get yourselves together to get a game.

[ladysail2]

Ladysail- I might know your BIL, then! I just pulled up the roster for the Yokohama team and I know a few of the players on it.

 

It's cool no matter when it was :)

 

Edit: Just saw your location in Ottawa. I have some bridge friends out there and I've played at your regional in the past!

 

Susie...his initials are DH....he's a really nice fellow.

Maybe our paths have crossed too...I've played in our Regionals ....but it's my dh who's passion is Bridge....I'm more of a social duplicate player..don't like the pressure side of the game.

I might start playing again sometime...so maybe we'll meet at some point in time. Keep enjoying the game...it keeps the brain cells active...:D

[hajekfam]

Just because they cancelled the "pros" doesn't mean that they are cutting out bridge or the card room.

They also cancelled their professional ballroom instructors, but still offer lessons (taught by one of the dancers - so the quality is hit or miss).

As far as turning the card room into an internet cafe - the M class ships already have an internet cafe.

Good luck with your letter writing campaign - it has worked before when Celebrity wanted to start charging the for the T-pool on the M class ships.

[Dandylyon]

We have this problem solved. On our last three cruises (and at least our next two) we have just gone as a foursome and have our own bridge game wherever we like. Usually in the Rendesvouz lounge or the Sky Bar. Helps kill time waiting in airports, too.

 

Nice if you have a foursome.

[Sky Sweet]

Does anyone know when this change will go into effect? It is my understanding that programming/activities for specific cruises are planned a while in advance, so I am assuming that the Bridge program will still be in place for at least the next few months.

[SusieV]

Ladysail- I do know him! I'm sure he'd recognize the Korbels :)

 

Maybe I'll see you at a tournament sometime if you give them another try. If not, maybe on a cruise :)

[Sky Sweet]

There is no comparison between duplicate bridge and kitchen (party) bridge.

 

Even though they are very different, I also enjoy party bridge with Chicago scoring, when everyone changes partners at the end of a four hand round and individual scores are ranked after all rounds have been played.

 

My only complaint about party bridge is that some people think it okay for them to go back and change their bid or play a different card whenever they make a mistake. I have no problem if we are with friends who are just learning how to play bridge and want to practice, with us, but I find it very frustrating when it is done by people who have been playing bridge for over twenty years.

[princess pasta]

Hi Bridge players! I happened on your conversation re: eliminating the game on Celebrity. While I don't play bridge myself, my travel companion does and he looks forward to the chance to both improve his game and meet other like minded people. So, for all of your sakes, and your continued pleasure at sea, I do hope that the Bridge opp. will continue. If not, I know your resourcefulness will find a way... Good Luck!!

[Marge Barge 2006]

I found out from our Bridge Director on my last cruise that it was Michael Thomas' decision in the Miami office. He is the one responsible for making the decisions to eliminate "free" activities. No surprise.

[Sky Sweet]

I found out from our Bridge Director on my last cruise that it was Michael Thomas' decision in the Miami office. He is the one responsible for making the decisions to eliminate "free" activities. No surprise.

 

Marge, Does this mean that if a passenger aboard a Celebrity Ship doesn't want to just sit by the pool or in a lounge, they will have to pay extra for whatever they do during the day?

[theduffys]

DH and I are cruising with Celebrity for the first time in Dec. to Hawaii. We booked this trip over a year ago and thought that we were upgrading from HAL and Norwegian. We are paying a premium price and expected to recieve a primium product. Many posts here have us concerned that we have simply "overpaid" for a "middle line product". Now we find out that we may not have the opportunity to play directed duplicate bridge on a cruise with 8 sea days. That would be a terrible disappointment. We are becoming more and more sorry that we made this cruise choice. We will go with a positive attitude and will enjoy ourselves but the lack of bridge will definetly put a hole in our days. I would be very happy to write a letter or send an e-mail if someone will tell me the appropriate person and address to contact.

[Sky Sweet]

Just a thought...but if Bridge is no longer being offered by Celebrity as an organized activity, it might be a good idea for Bridge Players who want to play during sea days to start a thread before their cruise to discuss a time and place where they can meet other Bridge Players for a game.

[CAKER]

I've offered to do it for 10/17/06 Millennium Venice to Barcelona. Just email me with your cabin number so we can make arrangements on board.

 

jlzalles@msn.com

 

We're in cabin 9131.

 

David Zalles

[cohengm]

This has been an interesting thread. You can easily see that many don't quite understand that duplicate bridge and "pick-up" party bridge are really very different games. I played bridge many years ago during lunch time. While on a 14 day Caribbean cruise three years ago I saw something called Duplicate Bridge on the daily schedule and said, "Hey, why not, who'll know me when the cruise is over." Well, anyway, I became addicted. A year later on the identical cruise I teamed up with a partner and established a friendship where her and her husband who afterwards traveled 1,500 miles to visit with us. I joined the oldest bridge club in North America http://www.hartfordbridgeclub.org almost two years ago and for those that think bridge is dying out, our club has doubled it's membership to well over 400 in the last 10 years. One of the selling points in our Hawaii cruise was the 8 sea days with 8 bridge games. Going back to the main topic, since I've never traveled on a Celebrity cruise of less than 13 days (I've only been on four Celebrity cruises), did Celebrity offer Dup Bridge on cruises with very few sea days?

[poetic license]

Bridge isn't being eliminated entirely: It will still be offered on Transatlantic and Transcanal voyages. Perhaps on the longer cruises as well?

 

I would think that any cruise with 4 or more sea days would still have it. But who really knows.

[Sky Sweet]

This has been an interesting thread. You can easily see that many don't quite understand that duplicate bridge and "pick-up" party bridge are really very different games. I played bridge many years ago during lunch time. While on a 14 day Caribbean cruise three years ago I saw something called Duplicate Bridge on the daily schedule and said, "Hey, why not, who'll know me when the cruise is over." Well, anyway, I became addicted. A year later on the identical cruise I teamed up with a partner and established a friendship where her and her husband who afterwards traveled 1,500 miles to visit with us. I joined the oldest bridge club in North America www.hartfordbridgeclub.org almost two years ago and for those that think bridge is dying out, our club has doubled it's membership to well over 400 in the last 10 years. One of the selling points in our Hawaii cruise was the 8 sea days with 8 bridge games. Going back to the main topic, since I've never traveled on a Celebrity cruise of less than 13 days (I've only been on four Celebrity cruises), did Celebrity offer Dup Bridge on cruises with very few sea days?

 

Hi Cohengm :)

 

Thank you for posting the link about the Hartford Bridge Club. Do you know if there is a similar club in Southern Connecticut?

 

I did a double take when I saw your post because I have a cousin named Cohen who is a surgeon at Hartford Hospital :)

[slgjhg]

Hi again guys,

 

My wife and I started this thread. I want to say how exciting it is to see that nearly 1,500 people have read it so far and so many of you have made such thoughtful posts. I can covfirm that members of the ACBL do earn Masterpoints on cruise ships when a Certified Director runs the game.

 

I do want to mention that while it is true that informal [and likely much smaller] games may continue in the absence of a Director, the lessons will not. I think these lessons are equally important as the games in the enjoyment of the experience. The lessons give those who never played or "olayed in college years ago" to discover or remember the fascination of this wonderful game. Whoever you are, your game can always improve.

 

It is a sad truth that the game is played mostly by older players in the United States, but that worldwide younger players are flocking to the tables. I pray that we Americans will get on the bandwagon. Cruise ships are a great place to meet people from other nations. Bridge bidding systems, in particular, vary over the world. I find the crise ships a marvelous place to catch up on how other nations appuoach the game.

 

As to age, look around your cruise ship. The majority of the passengers on Celebrity are of the age that plays briddge, even the Americans. Don't know if they are trying to run us off or not.

 

Finally a word on the "compensation" of Bridge Directors. The experience is "cash flow negative" for us. We pay a cruise agent a daily fee to go on these cruises. The line furnishes us with a canin, meals, etc, but we receive no fee, nor are we allowed to accept tips. So, while we enjoy cruising for less than the paying passenger, we are not making money. Hopefully, the passengers agree our services are worthwhile.

 

Thanks again to all of you for caring about this. If you want to keep bridge on these ships, it is vitally important that you not only let Celebrity know how you feel, but the other lines as well. This could be the first domino falling. When you fill out your evaluation forms at the end of the cruise, mention the bBridge experience and what it [or its absence] meant to you. The lines do [and should] listen to theit passengers. So speak up and loudly!

 

Thanks to all of you for your interest and for caring.

 

Jay

[Sky Sweet]

Hi again guys,

 

My wife and I started this thread. I want to say how exciting it is to see that nearly 1,500 people have read it so far and so many of you have made such thoughtful posts. I can covfirm that members of the ACBL do earn Masterpoints on cruise ships when a Certified Director runs the game.

 

I do want to mention that while it is true that informal [and likely much smaller] games may continue in the absence of a Director, the lessons will not. I think these lessons are equally important as the games in the enjoyment of the experience. The lessons give those who never played or "olayed in college years ago" to discover or remember the fascination of this wonderful game. Whoever you are, your game can always improve.

 

It is a sad truth that the game is played mostly by older players in the United States, but that worldwide younger players are flocking to the tables. I pray that we Americans will get on the bandwagon. Cruise ships are a great place to meet people from other nations. Bridge bidding systems, in particular, vary over the world. I find the crise ships a marvelous place to catch up on how other nations appuoach the game.

 

As to age, look around your cruise ship. The majority of the passengers on Celebrity are of the age that plays briddge, even the Americans. Don't know if they are trying to run us off or not.

 

Finally a word on the "compensation" of Bridge Directors. The experience is "cash flow negative" for us. We pay a cruise agent a daily fee to go on these cruises. The line furnishes us with a canin, meals, etc, but we receive no fee, nor are we allowed to accept tips. So, while we enjoy cruising for less than the paying passenger, we are not making money. Hopefully, the passengers agree our services are worthwhile.

 

Thanks again to all of you for caring about this. If you want to keep bridge on these ships, it is vitally important that you not only let Celebrity know how you feel, but the other lines as well. This could be the first domino falling. When you fill out your evaluation forms at the end of the cruise, mention the bBridge experience and what it [or its absence] meant to you. The lines do [and should] listen to theit passengers. So speak up and loudly!

 

Thanks to all of you for your interest and for caring.

 

Jay

 

Hi Jay :)

 

I agree with you about the Bridge Lessons. Another advantage is learning how some bridge conventions have evolved over the years. For example, I originally learned that you need to have four cards in both unbid suits to use the negative double, but the Bridge Instructor on our most recent cruise taught us that it only needs to be in the unbid major.

[babylene]

The way we play, after interference, in order to bid at the two level, you must have BOTH at least a five card suit and 10 or more points. If you have only one (or neither), you double.

[theduffys]

I'm still waiting for someone to tell us who to write or e-mail concerning our disappointment over this "passenger unfriendly" decision.

[CAKER]

RICHARD FAIN, CEO

C/O CELEBRITY/RCI CRUISELINE

ONE CARIBBEAN WAY

MIAMI, FL

 

DAN HANRAHAN, COO

CELEBRITY CRUISES

1050 CARIBBEAN WAY

MIAMI, FL 33132

 

Try registered or certified mail if you think it wil improve your chances of him reading it, or replying.

 

If all else fails, make sure to record your displeasure on the CRUISE EVALUATION OR COMMENTS CARDS. THEY READ THOSE !!!